Winter Spiritual Survival Guide
The Life: Practical Insights to
Christian Living
December 7, 2001
The here and the now
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Most of us can’t wait to be home
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Stress levels are a bit on the higher end
Term papers and projects are finishing up
Finals are right around the corner
On the edge of burnout
Can’t wait ‘til its over!
Can’t wait ‘til its over!!
Can’t wait ‘til its over!!!
The winter hopes
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What being home means
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Not being at MIT
Being comfortable
Rest & relaxation
Home cooked meals
Laundry service
Christmas presents
Doting parents
The winter blues?
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But, then again, you may be leaving your
primary spiritual community
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Perhaps your parents aren’t Christians
You don’t really talk with your parents or
friends back home about the “deep” stuff
Or, you’ve grown in God being with other
people who are serious about their faith
A vacation from everything, even God
Sinking, surviving or thriving?
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While on vacation, you don’t have to just
spiritually survive the winter
Your vacation time is a great opportunity to
grow closer to God.
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“His commands are not burdensome.” 1 John
5:3.
“Train yourself to be godly.” 1 Ti. 4:7
A winter of training, not trying
“Trying hard can accomplish only so much. If
you are serious about seizing this chance of
a lifetime, you will have to enter into a life
of training… There is an immense
difference between training to do
something and trying to do something”
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John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted
7 practical ways to thrive
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Be grateful (cf. 2 Ti 3:2)
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Look for ways God loves you
Write down 5 things a day about what you are
thankful for
Thank God himself when you see something
that’s great
7 practical ways to thrive
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Reconnect with others in God (Hb 10:24)
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Find a church or fellowship that will help you
grow while you’re away
Make an effort to talk about spiritual things
with your friends or family
7 practical ways to thrive
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Begin holy habits
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Spent time with God: reading the Bible and
praying.
Set up devotional schedule with friends.
Use a Christian devotional. My Utmost for
His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
7 practical ways to thrive
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Feed the mind
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Prayer, by Richard Foster
Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster
The Life You’ve Always Wanted, by John
Ortberg
Inside Out, by Larry Crabb
What’s So Amazing about Grace? Or The
Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey
7 practical ways to thrive
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Give of yourself (Lk 10:27-37)
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Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Volunteer at church
Serve the community
7 practical ways to thrive
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Honor your parents (Eph. 6:2)
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Easier for some than others
Serving: do some chores without being asked
Relationship: start to talk with them as a
friend, sharing your life with them
7 practical ways to thrive
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Keep in touch (Hb 10:23-25)
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Talk, email, ICQ with the people that you
connected with while here in college
Share struggles with each other
If you can’t find anyone to grow with at
home, at least you still have your friends
7 practical ways to thrive
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Be grateful
Reconnect with others in God
Begin holy habits
Feed the mind
Give of yourself
Honor your parents
Keep in touch
The winter’s prayer
“And this is my prayer: that your love may
abound more and more in knowledge and
depth of insight, so that you may be able to
discern what is best and may be pure and
blameless until the day of Christ, filled with
the fruit of righteousness that comes
through Jesus Christ – to the glory and
praise of God.”
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Philippians 1:9-11.